Melton

Melton's population grew in the 10 years leading up to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and work life.

The population passed 50,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Melton increased by 5.2%, from just under 47,900 to 50,400.

The addition of about 2,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Melton was home to, on average, 0.75 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was lower than the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Changes in family structure

This area saw the East Midlands' second-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

Across the region, only Hinckley and Bosworth saw a greater fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 11% to 9.7%).

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.1%) households in Melton had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 10.0% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 30% to 28%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households that where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Melton residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.3% to 3.7% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 72% in 2001. The percentage of Melton residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.4% in 2001 to 5.7% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Melton decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Melton, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Melton

The number of people in Melton that described themselves as Christian increased from just under 38,000 in 2001 to about 34,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 79% to 68% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the East Midlands (from 72% to 59%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Melton that described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 6,400 in 2001 to just over 12,000 in 2011 (from 13% to 24%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just under 3,200 to just under 3,300. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 6.6% to 6.5%.

Just over 210 people (0.3%) said they were Hindu, up from just over 160 in 2001 (0.4%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population who identified as Christian in Melton decreased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Melton by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Melton, but at a slower rate than across England.

In Melton, the proportion of private renting increased from 9.3% in 2001 to 14% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Across the East Midlands, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.5% to 15%.

The rate of social housing in Melton fell from 12% to 11%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 76% to 72%.

Private renting in Melton increased by 4.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Melton, the East Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Melton working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16% to 13% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.8% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 14% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Melton decreased by 3.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Melton, the East Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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